Carton feeding and opening means



July 13,1926. 1,592,798

E. P. WEBSTER CARTON FEEDING AND OPENING MEANS Filed May 15, 1925 '7 Sheets-Sheet 1 vwenkoz Quota:

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E P. WEBSTER CARTON-FEEDING AND OPENING MEANS 1925 '7 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed May 15,

July 13 1926. 1,592,798

E. P. WEBSTER CARTON FEEDING AND OPENING MEANS Filed May 1-5, 1925 7 Sheets-Sheet 6 vA-c UUM CHAMBER gwumtoc fifwdim, 67m, dM/mQMp/i E. P; WEBSTER CARTON FEEDING AND OPENING MEANS w t e e h s w 9 m s 7 g 2 wk wfi I o w s 1M KRMO M m a sumumaua uuauuuad m M aan muumsuanuunuumuuu ununum asuukumunuuam advance the carton 5o 1 tons are fed one by one from the stack and Patented July 13, 1926.

UNITED. STATES PATENT OFFICE.

EARL P. WEBSTER, 0F NIAGARA FALLS, NEW YORK, ASS IGNOR TO THE SHREDDED WHEAT COMPANY, OF NIAGARA FALLS, NEW YORK, -A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK.

CARTON FEEDING AND OPENING MEANS.

Application flied May 15, 1925.

This invention relates to mechanism for feeding cartons. and is adapted particularly for use with carton filling or packing devices by which articles may he introduced into the cartons in selected quantities. The mechanism of the present invention is arranged to receive cartons in f'oldcd or knockdown condition, to feed these cartons one by one, and in the feeding operation to open the cartons so as to place them in condition to be filled. The mechanism is particularly adapted for use in connection witha packingmachine such as that shown in my co-v pending application, Ser. No. 571,824, filed June 29, 1922, although the 'utility of the present invention is not limited to its use in conjunction with any particular packing machine. a

In the mechanism of the present invention there is included a'hopper in-which a stack of cartons in knock-down condition is re.- ceived. This hopper. is provided with means by which the stack of cartons is advanced with I step by step movement toward the discharge end of the hopper. This end of the hopper is closed by a reciprocating plunger which is arranged to remove the end carton from the stack each time the plunger moves past the latter in one direction. This carton is advanced by the plunger into a guide-way and is held by suitable means a ainst the face of the guide-way when thep unger' retreats. During such retractile movement, a swinging element normally forming a part of one wall of the guide-way,

enters the latter and contacts with the face of the carton held against the other guideway wall. This element is provided with suction means so that when it retreats to its original position in the guide-way wall, the carton is opened up and now lies in the guide-way in front of the feeding plunger. As the latter advances to remove another knock-down carton from the stack, its forward end engages the opened carton and advances this opened carton to a position in front of other forwarding devices, which toward its ultimate destination.

The mechanism is arranged so that car- Serial No. 30,630.

advanced with a step by step movement in a series to a position in front of a reciprocating plunger which delivers these open cartons to the packing station. The packing machine may be arranged to fill the cartons one at a time, or to fill several cartons simultaneously. The machine with which the present feeding mechanism is particularly adapted for use is arranged to fill two cartons simultaneously, and accordingly the cartons which are advanced from the open ing and feeding devices one by one, are delivered in pairsin front of a reciprocating plunger, which advances two, cartons at a time to the packing station. The cartons are fed to the packing station in a series with their ends in contact, but the arrangement of the packing devices requires that the cartons should be slightly spaced apart while being packed. Accordingly, the mechanism includes means by which a pair of cartons are fed with their ends in contact in front of the plunger, and means operat ing to space these cartons the required distance prior to the operation of the plunger to deliver the cartons to be packed.

For a. .better understanding of the invention, reference will be made to the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a plan view of the invention as applied, showing a portion of the packing machine, parts being broken away.

Figural. is a detail section 0n the line 1*1, Figure 1.. a

Figure 2 is a plan view of the mechanism located below'the main platform and in accord with the disclosure of Figure 1, parts being broken away.

- Figure 3 is a section on the line 3-3, Figure 1.

Figure 4 is a perspective view of the carton hopper, the carton feed means thereof the two most advanced cartons spaced apart.

Figure 8 is a similar view with the two most advanced cartons moved into register with the packing machine.

Figure 9 is a plan view of the mechanism at the left hand side of the machine below Y the main platform thereof and being a view views of complementary to Figure 1.

Figure 9 is a detail sectlon 9"-9, Figure 9. s I

Figure 10 is a side view of the right hand on the line portion of the machine in accord with the same.

Referring now to these drawings, the mechanism is seen to include a hopper 111 which receives a stack of cartons in flattened or knock-down condition, and along which the cartons 28" are fed intermittently step by step, each step of movement a distance equal to the thickness ofa flattened carton, by means of reciprocatory toothed strips 360, working in guide'ways 361, and the teeth of which are held outwardly by springs. The springs permit the teeth to yield and the strips are advanced with a step by step forward: movement through a succession of steps and then restored to their original po-' sit1on in a single step.

The cartons are held against backward movement in the hopper during the return movement of the toot ed strips .360 by upper and lower horizontal series of spring actingteeth 364 also heldoutwardly by their which the springs, against the tension of teeth are yielda'ble. A back plate may be "placed at the rear of the charge of cartons tobeengaged by the teeth in the walls of the" hopper, ithe cartons.

I described this plate preventing bulging of The stri s 360 are moved'in the manner y mechanism which includes a rock shaft 366 which has an operative connection with the strips; On this rock shaft -isloosely mounted a ratchet wheel 373, to

which is secured a cam disc 376. A rock lever 372 loosely mounted on shaft 366, carries a pawl 374 cooperatin with the teeth of the ratchet wheel and a lin 375 is connected at one end to the lever 37 2 and at the other terminates in a yoke straddling a drive shaft 368. This yoke carries a roller 371 operating in a. cam slot 370 in a cam disc 369 fast on drive shaft 368, and 'as the. drive shaftrotates, the parts described cause the cam 376 to advance with a step by step the yoke 37 7. on which is mounted a roller 380 caring sition in one step.

movement.' Mounted loosely on the shaft 368 is a rock lever 381 connected to a link 37 T which terminates in a yoke 377 straddling a bearing block for the shaft 366. A spring 385 bears at one and against this bearing block and at the other enters a tubular portion of The link 377 carries a in 380 against the surface of a cam disc 376. The opposite end of the arm 381 is connected by a link 383 to the end of a lever 384 rigidly secured to the rock shaft 366.

With this arrangement, I the advancing movement of the cam 376 causes the link 377 to assume different positions and the shaft 366 is similarly moved to different positions through the connections described. The can-r 376 is so formed that the shaft 366 is moved in one direction in a series of short steps and have a Similar step by step movement of'ad-v vance and are restored to their original 'po- The cartons placed in the hopper in fiattened condition have their top and bottom.

flags folded outwardly against the side wall an are advanced by the strips toward the discharge end of the hopper which is closed by the side of a reciprocatory head 112 operatin in a guide-way 113. move by a link 114 connected to a rocklever 140. A portion of the wall of the guide- This head is way 113 is formed by a hollow suction head 113' connected bya pipe 172 to a vacuum chamber 17l,'and the wall of the guide-way 113 opposite the suction head 113, is also hollowand connected by a pi 172 to the vacuum chamber 171. The aces of both hollow portions of the guide-way are perforated.

The wall 116, (Fig; 4) of the plunger 112 opposed to the stack-of cartons is provided with a recess 11 7 defined at one end by a shoulderarranged topickv up. a carton and move it from the end of the stack to the left (Fig. 1) in the advancing movement of the plunger. The plunger moves this carton to a position opposite the suction chamber of the guideway opposite the head 113, where the carton is held by suction in the retractile movement' of the plunger. As the plunger returns .to pick up a second carton, the head 113" isswung inwardly to contact with thewall of the carton and as the plunger 112 again advances, the head 113 returns to the position shown in Fig. 1 and draws the adjaent wall of the carton with it, so that the two carton walls are spaced and the latteris opened. This opening operation is completed just before the end of the plunger 112 reaches the open carton, and as the plunger advances farther it pushes the 0 en carton ahead of it into the end of the guide- 128. In such movement, itdeposits the next folded carton in a position to be opened by the mechanism described. It will be observed that the plunger 112 moves forwardly and rearwardly along the same path and in its forward movement it advances a folded carton to the opening devices and moves the previously opened carton to advancing devices.

The head 113 is provided with extensions 113 which are pivotall secured at their ends to levers similar to evers 126 (Fig. 2).

The levers 126 are arranged for parallel movement and connected by a connection link 125 which is in turn connected by a link 124 to a rock lever 120; This lever is pivoted at one end to the frame, and carries a roller 121 moving in a cam slot 122 in a reciprocating slide 123. As the slide moves guide-way'in front of the plunger 112. The

extent of the movement of the suction head 113 is sufiicient to permit the latter to engage the wall of the carton held against the stationary suctionchamber in the guide-way wall, and when the head returns, thecarton is opened up.

The open cartons advanced to the end of the guide-way by head 112, are moved forwardly through guide-way 119, by the reciprocating plunger 128.. The head 128.18

connected to a slide 133" by an arm 125, this slide being mounted in a suitable guide-way in the machine frame. The end of the slide is connected by a link 133 to the endof a rock lever 129 pivoted at one end tothe machineframe and carrying a roller 130 operating in 'a cam groove 131 of a slide 132. As the slide reciprocates, the.lever 129 is moved about its pivot and causes the head and the pin is in a position to be engaged 128 to reciprocate in the ide-way 119.

At oneside of thehea is a barrier plate 5 free to enter guide-Way 113. This barrier plate is mounted for reciprocation into the guide-way and is operated by a headed pin 5 passing through the wall of the guideway and connected at its rear end to a link 7 5 which is connected to plate 5". The rod is forced by a spring 5 to a position in which the barrier plate enters the guide-way by the head 128 in the return movement of the latter. .As a carton is being advanced by the head 112 to a osition in front of the head 128. thelatter orces the barrier plate I out-of guide-way 113. As soon as the head 112 retreats, the head 128 begins to advance from a recess in the guide-way wall in which from the cam along one side is a guide plate it is received, and in such movement the barrier plate is permitted to enter the guideway and engage the end wall of theacarton infront of head 128, the plate preventing thecarton from collapsing.

The cartons are fed along guide-way 119 with their side walls in contact, and are prevented from backing up in the guide-way by a swinging plate 128 which slips down behind each carton as the latter is moved beyond the plate. In their movement through the guide-way, 119, the cartons pass folding devices 135 which fold the bottom end flaps of the cartons inwardly, partially closing the bottom openings of the cartons. As the cartons are advanced to the forward end of the guide-way 119 they come successively in front of a plunger 137 which reciprocatesat right angles to the guide-way 119 and moves the cartons into a passage 136.

The head 137 is carried on links 138 mounted on pins 139 at the lower ends of which are. connected parallel movement levers 145, these levers being in turn connected by a suitable link connection to a swinging lever 142 pivotally mounted at one end to a slide 140. Thelever has an extension carrying a roller 148 which runs along the surfaceof a stationary cam. Spaced 149 and at one end the cam has a leaf spring. 149:. In the movement of the roller along the cam, the roller forces the spring upward- 1y, passes beyondthe end of it, and the spring then snaps down behind the roller. On the return movement of the roller it rides up the sprin along the opposite surface of the cam, t us giving the lever 14 2 a swinging movement on its ivot. In such.

-movement. it causes the hea 137 to swing about the 'pivots 139 and these pins are mounted in a moving part of the machine connected with the slide 140 so that the head swings up to operativeposition, as shown" in Fig.' 1, then advances along a straight line while remaining in this posi--' tion, then swings down out of the guide-way 136, and in this latter position is retracted 'to the end of the guide-way. During such retractile movement another-carton is std-x .va-nced'in guide-way 119 to a position in front of head 137 and is picked up and advanced bythe latter into guide-way 136tin the next cycle of movements.

The cartons are advanced along the guide: 1 way 136 with their ends in contact, and are delivered to a position ingfront of a plunger 157 which moves the cartons to packing stations designated 28. The packing stationsare separated, but the cartons are fed with their ends in contact so that the two cartons to be advanced to the packing'sta- 'tion by the head 157 must be 'separated'in order to be moved by the head to packing position, This is accomplished by means of propriate interval, causin to the vacuum .chamber 171.

A lever 136 pivotally mounted a't a convenient point on the machine is connected at one end to the shaft136 and intermediate its ends carries a roller 136 contacting with the surface of a cam 136' having a projection 136". This cam is mounted on a shaft 179 driven at the proper speed from the main drive of the machine, and as the cam position along guide-ways 160 by ejector's rotates, the shaft 136gis rocked at; the apa reciprocatory s the cartons are movement of slide 136. advanced by the head 137, reaches a position in which its endis engaged by the face .of the head 136 in the reciprocation of the latter and the suction of the head causes the carton to be drawn along in the return movement of the head, so that the carton is spaced from the one next to it. a The two spaced cartons are now advanced to the packing stations 28 by heads 158 mounted on plunger frame 157 which is con-' nected to a slide155 working in guides 156 and connected by a link 152, pivotally mounted. at 153. The lever 152 has a roller '158 g in a rotary cylinder 99, this groove encirthe head 158and moved movement of the arm about as a pivot a.s the cylinder mechanism is so arran ed'that when two cling the cylinder and causing a swinging the point 153 rotates. The

cartons 28 have been sposed in front of to spaced position, as .shown in Fi 7, the-arm 152 is swun rearwardly by the cam groove and the head 158 is thus advanced to move these cartons over the packing station, as shown in Fig. 8. The head 158 is provided with carton grippers 158 which are brought into actionat the proper time to hold the cartons against the side walls of the guide-way along which the-cartons are advanced by head 158' to the packing station.

The slides 132, 123, and140 are connected by suitable means, and are operated by a link 140 connected to rock lever 140?, the

latter being driven from the main drive of the machine through appropriate connections. 3

The vacuum in the several suction heads and hollow chambers is maintained'by. a

vacuum pump 168 having a pipe connection 169 with vacuum chamber 170, to which the various suction heads and chambers are connected by pipes 172. The ipes nected to movable chambers are 0 a flexible construction.

The articles which are to be packed in thecartons are fed by suitable means upon Y table 26 (Fig. 1) whence. they advanced to the cartons by the plunger head 107 clarhe head is- .connected to a slide 136" connected by, a lever 136 to a rock arm 136' on shaft 136.-

the first carton 154 to' a rock lever entering a cam grooveopenedcartons abreast for holding rying article pushers 108. The head107 is gonnected to a slide 105, in turn connected (not shown), reciprocated by an arm 164.

I claim c 1. In a machine for for successively'feeding individual flattened cartons,- openingthe same and feeding theopened cartons includin carton feeding passages at an angle to eac otherand means engaging the o lapse thereof uring the movement of the cartons from one to the other of saidpassages. i

. 4 i 2. In a machine for packing biscuit, means e machine when an article ened cartons to prevent co1-I rod 104; to a lever 102 (Fig. 2) having a roller entering cam groove 159 in rotary packing biscuit, means I for successively feeding indiyidual flattened cartons, opening the same and feeding the opened cartons including carton feeding passages at an angle to each other, and means engaging the opened cartons to prevent c01- lapse thereof during the movement from one to the other of said passages including a reciprocatory member and aspring pressed device having an operatin said member and adapte I to be retracted against the tension of its spring in the re ing means.

connection with turn movement of certain of the carton feed- 1 3. In a machine for packingbiscuit, means for successively feeding individual flattened cartons, opening the same, opened cartons including a reciprocator head ada ted to feed the two most advance cartons a reast, and means for spacing said two most advanced cartons apart prlorto being so fed abreast.

and feeding the r 4. In a machine for packing biscuit, means I for successively feeding individual flattened cartons, opening the same andfeeding the opened cartons including a reciprocator'y head adapted to feed the two most advanced "and having means the cartons against endwise movement in one direction, and means for spacing said cartons apart prior to being so fed abreast, the carton feed meansand the carton spacing means acting to hold 'the v said two most advanced cartons againstendwise movement in the opposite d rection.

'5. In a carton feedingand opening device, the combination of means for successively feeding flattened cartons from a su ply, o ning the cartons and feeding t e opene cartons along a predetermined path in singlefile, adjacentcartons near the end .lever adag'ted reci ed to swing the of their path of travel havhig their opposed walls in contact, means for receiving the end pair of cartons in the file and movin them simultaneously to a selected point, and means operable in advance of the operation of said moving; means for spacing the end carton a predetermined distance from the J one next to it.

6. In combination, a guide-way for opened cartons, means adapted to contain collapsed cartons, a reciprocating feedin member adapted to singly remove the colFapsed car'- tons from the carton-containing means,

meansfor opening the cartonswithin the guide-way, means for. feeding the opened cartons, means for reciprocating the feed member, and means 0 erated therewith adapted to actuate said carton-opening means. I

7. In combination, a guide-way for opened cartons, means adapted to contain collapsed cartons, a reci rocating feeding member adapted to sing y remove the collapsed cartons from the carton-containing means, means for opening the cartons within the guide-way, means for feeding the opened cartons, means for reciprocating the feed member," and cam means operated 36 therewith adapted to actuate said cartonopening means.

'8. In combination, a guide-way for opened cartons, 1 means for feeding collapsed cartons alon one wall of said guideway, and means For opening the cartons comprising a head, pivoted means supportin the head adapted to be oscillated to swing the head diagonally across the guideway to engage the carton to open it upon returnto 1ts normal position, a swingm to oscillate said pivoted procating cam means adapt- 9.111 combination, a guide-way for opened cartons, means for feeding collapsed cartons along one wall of said guidemeans, an

" way, and-means for opening the cartons,

comtprising a head, means for moving the hea I transversely across the guide-way to engage the carton-to open it upo n return to it'snormal position, reciprocating means m ova ble parallel to the guide-way adapted flt'o'actuate the last-named means, and means ogerated with the reciprocating means a apted to actuate said feeding means. 10. In combination, a guide-way for opened cartons, means for feeding collapsed cartons. alon one wall ,of said guidecomrising way, and means or opening .the cartons, a head, means for moving, the

hea transversely across the guide-way to engage'the carton to'open it upon return to its normal position, reciprocating means movable parallel to the guide-way adapted --to actuate the last-named means, means operated with the reciprocating means.

adapted to actuate said feeding means, and means carried by the feeding means adapted to feed the opened cartons through the guide-way. a i

11. In combination, a guide-way for opened cartons, comprising suction walls, and means adapted to feed the cartons through said walls into article-receiving position.

12. In combination, guide-ways for opened cartons, comprising hollow suction walls perforated at their inner sides, and

means for feeding opened cartons between said walls to article-receiving position.-

13. In combination, a gulde-way for opened cartons, a second guide-way for feeding the cartons at right angles. to the first guide-way, means for feeding'the cartons fromthe first guide-way to the second guide-way and a swinging head within the second guide-way adapted to swing across the end of the first guide-way to advance the cartons along the second. guide-way.

14. In combination, a guide-way for opened cartons, meansadapted to contain collapsed cartons, a reci rocating head adapted to remove the co lapsed cartons from the carton containing means, means for opening the cartons w1thin the guide way, means for reciprocating the feeding head, cam means movable therewith for operating said carton-opening means, a second guide-way at right angles to the first guideway, means for feeding the cartons from the first guide-way into the second aide-way, and cam means movable with sai first cam means for opprating said means for feeding the cartons t rough the second guide-way.

15. In combination, a guide-way for opened cartons, means for feeding cartons therethrough, asecond guide-way at right angles thereto, means for feeding cartons (guide-way, comprising rearward reciprocation to remove it rom said gulde-way, and means for movin the feeding-head into feeding relation wit the guide-way upon completlon of its rearward movement.

17. In combination, a opened cartons, means for guide-way for ceding cartons forwardly and rearwa therethrough, a second guide-way at right angles thereto, means from the first ond guide-way,

head movable across the end of the first guide-way to feed the articles therefrom to the second guide-way, and means for removing the sad from the guide-way during its rearward reci rocatory movement 10 to permit feeding of the cartons tothe end of the first guide-way.

' 18. In a combination, aide-way for opened cartons, means for e eding cartons therethrough, means for reciprocating said feeding means, 'a second guide-way at right angles to the first." ide-way, means for feeding cartons theret rou h, a third guideway at right a gles to t e second guideway, means for eeding cartons from said second guideway through the'third guideway, and means for operating the feed means for the second guide-way and "the third guide-way cooperatively connected to the means'for feeding the cartons through 26 the first guide-way.

19. In combination, opened cartons, means for feeding cartans' therethrough, means for reciproeating said feeding means, a. second guide-Way at right angles to the first guideway, feeding cartons therefor feeding cartons guide-way through the secmeans for through, a third uide-way at right an les to the second guiEe-way, means for fee in cartons from said second 1% the'third guide-way, a cam frame movable with the means for reciprocatin the feed means for the first 'uide-way, an a plurality of cams carried by the cam frame adapted to operate themeans for feeding the cartons through the second guide-way and'the third guide-way.

20. In combination, a guide-way for opened cartons, means for feeding the cartons therethrough, a guide-way at right ana les thereto, means for feeding the cartons rom the first guide-way through the second guide-wa comprising a reciprocating member, a fzed head movably .mounted for swin ing movement on sa1d reciprocating mem er, and means cooperating with the head during its reciprocatory movement thereto, to remove it from the guide-way "durin its rearward movement.

21. a combination, a guide-way for opened cartons, means for feeding the cartons therethrough, a guide-way at right anles thereto,

rom the first guide-way through the second guide-way, com rising a reciprocating member, a feed heatfmovably mounted for swin 'ng movement on said reciprocating mem er, a lever carried by said reciprocating means, cam means adapted to swing the lever during the reciprocation of said means, and means connecting the lever to comprising a reciprocating ways.

a guide-way forguide-way throug suction means for openin means for feeding the cartons i moved out of the guide-way during its rearward reciprocation.

22. In. combination, a guide-way for opened cartons, two spaced arallel guideways at right angles to the rst guide-way, means for separating the two foremost cartons in the first gu de-way to align them with the two parallel guide-ways, ,and means for feeding the cartons from the first guide-way into the two parallel guide- 23. In combination, a guide-way for opened cartons, two spaced arallel guideways ,at right angles to the st guide-way, a reci rocating suction-head adapted to enage t e foremost carton to separate it from e second carton, to align sa d two cartons with the two 1 parallel iguide-ways, and means for feeding the cartons from the guide-way through the two parallel gmdewa s.

2 In combination, a guide-way for opened cartons, two spac d fparallel guldeways at right angles to the st guide-way, a reciprocating hollow suction-head having perforations in its inner face, adapted to engage the foremostcarton' to separate it from the second carton, to align said two cartons with the two parallel guide-ways, a suction tank, a flexible connection be-' tween said tank and the head, and means for feeding the cartons from the first g'uideway through the two 1parallel guide-we s.

25. In. a machine 0 the character escribed, comprising means for successively feeding collapsed cartons, suction means for opening the cartons, feeding means adapted to move the open cartons forward, and suction means for maintaining the cartons in their opened position.

26. In a machine of the character described, comprising means, for successively feeding collapsed cartons into a guide-way,

the cartons within the guide-way, the fee ing means adapted to' move the opened cartons in said guideway, and suction means for maintaining the cartons in their 0 ned position during thelr IDOVGHIGHfithIOIIgE thB dc-way. 115

27. In a machine 0 the character described, comprising means for successively feeding collapsed cartons, a swingin suction. head for o ning the'cartons, an suction means for eeding and maintaining the cartons in their opened position.

28. In a machine of the character described, comprising a ide-way, means for successively feeding co lapsed cartons to the guide-way, a swinging suction head for 1 opening the cartons, means carried b the a machine of the character 'de- 1 0 scribed, comprising a ide-way, means for successively feeding co lapsed cartons to the.

guide-way, a swinging suction head adapted to be moved across the guide-way and engage one side of the collapsed carton and move it across the guide-way, suction means for holding the o posite side of the carton against the wall 0 the guide-way, and means for feeding the carton along the guide-way, said carton held in opened position by suction.

30. The improved method of filling cartons which comprises opening the cartons successively, successivei'ylr propelling the opened cartons toward ng' position, the

propelled cartons advancing a row of cartons ahead of it in its movement, and maintaining open the cartons advancing toward filling position by suctionl 31 The improved method of filling cartons which comprises opening the cartons successively by suction, propelling the opened Y cartons successivel toward filling position, each carton prope led advancing a row of cartons ahead of it in its movement, and

. maintaining open the row'of cartons so advancing toward filling In testimony whereof EARL P, WEBSTER.

position by suction. afiix my signature. 

